Technical Field
The present invention relates to systems for improving the operation of pool skimmers, particularly those used in outdoor swimming pools, and methods of using the same.
Background of the Invention
With reference to FIGS. 1-3, in the prior art, it is known to remove debris in swimming pools 110 through the use of skimmers 100. As known to those of ordinary skill, swimming pools 110 generally consist of a basin (or swimming area) 121, the perimeter of which is defined by a plurality of sidewalls 120 and the bottom of which is defined by a floor 122. The floor 122 usually includes a bottom drain 101.
Skimmers 100 generally include a rectangular skimmer opening 135 located in a sidewall 120 of the swimming pool 110, a moveable skimmer weir 170 located inside the skimmer 100 that pivots on a hinge 155 within the skimmer 100 and moves in response to changes in the water levels of the swimming pool 110 and a rectangular skimmer faceplate 145. The faceplate 145 surrounds the skimmer opening 135, has a thickness 148 of about 1-3 inches and is secured to the pool sidewall 120 via one or more fasteners (e.g., screws) 146 inserted through fastener apertures 147. Some pools, particularly many concrete and gunite pools, lack a faceplate 145 surrounding the skimmer opening 135. The skimmer weir 170 pivots between a vertical position (shown in phantom line 170A in FIG. 2) in which the skimmer weir 170 is generally parallel to the sidewall 120 (and perpendicular to the ground) and prevents large debris from flowing through the skimmer 100 (more precisely, beyond the skimmer weir 170) and a horizontal position (shown in phantom line 170B in FIG. 2) in which the skimmer weir 170 is generally perpendicular to the sidewall 120 (and parallel to the ground) and allows large debris to flow through the skimmer 100 until the debris reaches a filter or debris basket 160. The passageway or throat through which water flows through the skimmer 100 is denoted by numeral 196 and the top of the throat is denoted by 197. As known to the those of ordinary skill, the skimmer weir 170 of a conventional skimmer 100 often occupies a position between its two end pivot points (i.e., between the vertical 170A and horizontal 170B positions), as shown in FIG. 2. Water enters the skimmer 100 through the opening 135, flows through throat 196 and over the skimmer weir 170, and through a filter or debris basket 160, which collects debris. Optionally, the top of the throat 197 includes a downwardly extending flange 198, which prevents the skimmer weir 170 from rotating beyond the vertical 170A. Ultimately, the filtered water exits the skimmer 100 through drain/exit aperture 199 is then pumped back into the basin 121 of the swimming pool 110 through water jets 165 located in the pool sidewalls 120. Pools may include a series of pumps 190, valves 192 and 194 and pipes 180, 181, 182 and 193. Typically the water jets 165 create a counter-clockwise or clockwise 183 circulation in the basin 121 of the pool 110, as shown in FIG. 3. Pools 110 may contain one or more skimmers 100, depending on pool size and the year the pool was built. For example, some U.S. municipalities require that municipal pools have one skimmer per 400 square feet of swimming area.
Usually, the skimmer opening 135 and skimmer weir 170 are located several inches below the top overhang 130 of the pool. (The distance from the pool top overhang 130 to the top of the skimmer opening 135 is labeled as 140. The distance from the pool top overhang 130 to the top edge 171 of the skimmer weir 170 is labeled as 150). Most, if not all, of the debris typically found in the basins 121 of swimming pool 110 is less dense than water and hence is located in the top layer of the water located in the basin 121 of the swimming pool 110. Thus, for this reason, skimmer manufacturers instruct swimming pool owners to keep the water level in the basin 121 of the pool 110 approximately two-thirds (⅔) of the way up the faceplate 145 (i.e., below the top edge 171 of the skimmer weir 170) so that the skimmer 100 filters the top, debris-containing layer of the pool water. Unfortunately, keeping the water at the manufacturer's recommended level is problematic for several reasons. First, the owner may want to keep the water level in the basin 121 of the pool 110 near the top overhang 130 of the pool 110 for aesthetic effect (i.e., a full pool). Second, if a rainstorm increases the water above the manufacturer's recommended level, the owner must remove some of the water from the pool 110 via a drain so that the water returns to the recommended level. This creates a time burden on the pool owner unless the drainage is automatic and, in any case, is environmentally unfriendly and costly, as pool water and chemicals in the pool water are wasted when the pool is drained.
Some devices in the prior art seek to address some of these water loss issues; however these prior art devices are costly and create hazards in the pool. For example, the Ecoskim™ device (Ecoskim Pty Ltd., Australia), which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,993,515 to Davies, is a swimming pool cleaning device that includes an outer body with an outlet to the pool pump line, a hollow mating member, which floats within the outer body so that its top rim is at the surface of the pool and a litter basket which fits within the floating member. The device further includes an inlet that attaches to a hose, which moves about the swimming pool, and a backing plate that fits over the opening of a swimming pool skimmer and prevents water from entering the skimmer opening. The Ecoskim™ device costs approximately $700 U.S. Dollars and relies on the use of a mobile hose, which poses a hazard to children swimming in the swimming pool.
Thus, there is a need for cheap and safe devices that improve the operation of swimming pool skimmers.